The 2023–24 Cymru Premier (; known as the JD Cymru Premier for sponsorship reasons) was the 32nd season of the Cymru Premier (formerly known as the Welsh Premier League), the highest football league within Wales since its establishment in 1992.
The winners (The New Saints, their third consecutive title win and sixteenth overall) qualified for the 2024–25 Champions League first qualifying round. The runners-up (Connah's Quay Nomads), third-placed team (Bala Town), and play-off winners (Caernarfon Town) qualified for the 2024–25 Conference League first qualifying round. The bottom two teams (Colwyn Bay and Pontypridd United) were relegated to either the 2024–25 Cymru North or the 2024–25 Cymru South.
Teams The league consisted of twelve teams; the top ten teams from the previous season, and one team each promoted from the second-tier leagues, the Cymru North and Cymru South. The New Saints entered the season as defending champions (for the second consecutive season).
The two promoted sides were Colwyn Bay (winners of the 2022–23 Cymru North) and Barry Town United (winners of the 2022–23 Cymru South). Barry Town United were promoted back to the top tier on the first time of asking following their relegation in the 2021–22 season, while Colwyn Bay were promoted to the top tier of Welsh football for the first time since switching from the English football league system in 2018–19.
The bottom two teams from the 2022–23 season (Airbus UK Broughton and Flint Town United) were both relegated to the Cymru North for the 2023–24 season. Flint Town United's relegation was only confirmed on the final day of the previous season, where a dramatic victory for Aberystwyth Town, combined with Flint's defeat to Pontypridd United, saw the Silkmen drop into the relegation zone.
Haverfordwest County came close to being relegated following their failure to achieve a Tier One license at the first time of asking, but their appeal was successful, ensuring their stay in the league.
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium Capacity Aberystwyth Town Aberystwyth Park Avenue 5,000 Bala Town Bala Maes Tegid 3,000 Barry Town United Barry Jenner Park Stadium 2,650 Caernarfon Town Caernarfon The Oval 3,000 Cardiff Metropolitan University Cyncoed Cyncoed Campus 1,620 Colwyn Bay Old Colwyn Llanelian Road 2,500 Connah's Quay Nomads Flint Cae-y-Castell 3,000 Haverfordwest County Haverfordwest Bridge Meadow Stadium 2,100 Newtown Newtown Latham Park 5,000 Penybont Bridgend Bryntirion Park 3,000 Pontypridd United Treforest USW Sports Park 1,000 The New Saints Oswestry Park Hall 2,034
Personnel and kits Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Front shirt sponsor Aberystwyth Town Anthony Williams Jack Thorn Acerbis Aberystwyth University Bala Town Colin Caton Kieran Smith Macron Aykroyd's Barry Town United Jonathan Jones Kayne McLaggon Macron RIM Motors Caernarfon Town Richard Davies Darren Thomas Errea Gofal Bro Cyf Cardiff Metropolitan University Ryan Jenkins Kyle McCarthy Errea Cardiff Metropolitan University Colwyn Bay Steve Evans Tom McCready Hope and Glory GO2 People Connah's Quay Nomads Neil Gibson John Disney Adidas Castle Green Homes Haverfordwest County Tony Pennock Dylan Rees Macron Clegg Gifford / The Athletic Newtown Scott Ruscoe Shane Sutton Errea Control Techniques Penybont Rhys Griffiths Kane Owen Macron Nathaniel Car Sales Pontypridd United Gavin Allen Clayton Green Joma UPVCDIRECT.CO.UK The New Saints Craig Harrison Chris Marriott Macron SiFi Networks
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Lee KendallResigned26 July 2023Pre-season Steve Jenkins5 August 2023 Andrew StokesResigned4 January 202412th Gavin Allen22 January 2024 Chris HughesMutual consent10 January 20244th Scott Ruscoe18 January 2024 Steve JenkinsChanged to Director of Football2 February 20249th Jonathan Jones2 February 2024
League table
Results Matches 1–22 Teams played each other twice, once at home and once away.
Matches 23–32 After 22 matches, the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six). Each team plays every other team in their group twice (once at home and once away).
Top six
Bottom six
Conference League play-off Teams placed 3rd–7th will enter one-off play-off matches for the third spot in the Conference League first qualifying round. The higher-placed team gains home advantage. Since the 2023–24 Welsh Cup winners finished in the top three, the 3rd-placed team qualified automatically for the Conference League and the spot was vacated.
Semi-finals
Final
Season statistics
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Brad YoungThe New Saints222 Jordan DaviesConnah's Quay193 Aaron WilliamsNewtown184 Chris VenablesPenybont175 Ryan Brobbel The New Saints14 Adam DaviesCaernarfon Town7 Declan McManusThe New Saints138 George NewellBala Town129 Ollie HulbertBarry Town United11 Ben ClarkThe New Saints Adrian CieślewiczThe New Saints
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Ryan Brobbel The New SaintsHaverfordwest County5–1 (H)16 September 2023 Aaron WilliamsNewtownCaernarfon Town4–0 (H)7 October 2023 Brad YoungThe New SaintsBarry Town United2–6 (A)21 October 2023 Sion BradleyCaernarfon TownCardiff Met5–1 (H)21 October 2023 Harry FranklinConnah's QuayCaernarfon Town6–1 (H)27 October 2023 Chris VenablesPenybontCaernarfon Town2–4 (A)4 November 2023 Martell Taylor-CrossdaleHaverfordwest CountyColwyn Bay5–0 (H)4 November 2023 Brad YoungThe New SaintsCardiff Met8–0 (H)6 January 2024 Brad YoungThe New SaintsCaernarfon Town1–8 (A)23 February 2024 George NewellNewtownBala Town1–5 (A)24 February 2024 Brad YoungThe New SaintsCardiff Met4–0 (H)2 March 2024
Notes (H) – Home team(A) – Away team
Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthManagerClubPlayerClubAugustRichard DaviesCaernarfon TownSion BradleyCaernarfon TownSeptemberChris HughesNewtownJordan DaviesConnah's QuayOctoberCraig HarrisonThe New SaintsBen NashConnah's QuayNovemberTony PennockHaverfordwest CountyRyan SearsNewtownDecemberCraig HarrisonThe New SaintsJosh PaskThe New SaintsJanuarySteve JenkinsBarry Town UnitedBrad YoungThe New SaintsFebruaryGavin AllenPontypridd UnitedBen AhmunPontypridd UnitedMarchRichard DaviesCaernarfon TownRhys AbbruzzeseHaverfordwest CountyAprilChris VenablesPenybontRhys GriffithsPenybont
Annual awards Award Winner Club Manager of the Season Craig Harrison The New Saints Player of the Season Sion Bradley Caernarfon Town Young Player of the Season Brad Young The New Saints
Team of the Season Goalkeeper Kelland Absalom (Bala Town) Defenders Ryan Sears (Newtown) Ben Nash (Connah's Quay Nomads) Danny Davies (The New Saints) Rhys Abbruzzese (Haverfordwest County) Midfielders Leo Smith (The New Saints) Daniel Redmond (The New Saints) Danny Gosset (Caernarfon Town) Forwards Jordan Davies (Connah's Quay Nomads) Brad Young (The New Saints) Sion Bradley (Caernarfon Town)
Attendances Team Highest Lowest Average Aberystwyth Town 824 271 370 Bala Town 564 138 292* Barry Town United 521 243 426 Caernarfon Town 978 339 576 Cardiff Metropolitan University 563 112 248* Colwyn Bay 1,411 422 714 Connah's Quay Nomads 506 139 268 Haverfordwest County 698 308 458 Newtown 421 181 298 Penybont 863 175 311* Pontypridd United 537 191 279* The New Saints 532 161 322
Figures taken from FAW Cymru Football app and other club channels. Correct as of 22 April 2024. *Denotes incomplete record, as missing attendance figures. Figures for Penybont v Caernarfon (16/9), Pontypridd v Bala (16/9), Bala v Aberystwyth (27/9), Penybont v TNS (7/10), Penybont v Aberystwyth (27/10) and Cardiff Met v Connah's Quay (6/4) have not been publicly recorded. Average attendances for these teams are calculated on basis of available attendance data divided by total number of home games played
References